Adjustable garments, or garments with means for adjusting some dimension of the garment, are more convenient, economical, and better fitting than fixed-size garments when size of the garment wearer varies. Garments having waist portions are well suited for providing adjustment means. Waist measurements frequently vary between individuals, even those of the same height, and can change over time for a single individual.
One application for an adjustable waist garment is an employer providing uniforms to a number of employees. The capability to fit a wide number of employees of varying sizes from a small selection of adjustable-size garments provides the aforementioned advantages to the employer in maintaining a relatively smaller inventory of uniforms. Employees benefit too. Uniform adjustments provide a closer fit when a full selection of custom garment sizes are unavailable. Similarly, clothing retailers benefit from adjustable garments, since they also may need only stock a reduced number of adjustable garment sizes to accommodate a broad range of customer sizes.
Another, more common application where adjustable garment utility is evident, is for the case when size of an individual wearer varies over time. Waist size varies due to weight gain or loss, exercise, maternity or body proportion changes associated with growth, maturing or aging. Waist size can fluctuate, increasing or decreasing over time. Even though an individual's size remains constant, an adjustable garment provides convenience in donning and removing the garment. The garment adjustment means is expanded for changing the garment and reduced for wearing the garment thus providing a closer fit. An adjustable garment can also be adjusted to counteract garment shrinkage or stretching, such as after cleaning.
Numerous methods have conventionally been used to provide for waist adjustment, including buttons, elastic, straps, drawstrings, ties, belts and removable waist padding. U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,358 to Bice, herein incorporated by reference, sets forth numerous examples of conventional garment waist adjustment methods and their shortcomings.
In one conventional embodiment, a garment having a waist adjustment feature is accomplished by forming (sewing) one or more foldable members from excess waist material. These discrete foldable members are subsequently overlapped back around the waist, in an unflattering and very noticeable manner. Each discrete foldable member is secured by a discrete pair of mated interlocking hook and loop fasteners (commonly known as Velcro.RTM.).
The conventional foldable member is formed from a double layer of waist fabric sewn together as a winglet along with one side of the hook and loop fastener pair. In constructing the discrete foldable member, a preferred waist material fold angle is fixed by sewing into the shape of the foldable member, thus defining a most preferred waist size. The fabric material near the foldable member may not lie naturally for waist size adjustments other than the most preferred waist size, making the fold more noticeable. The sewn foldable members (winglets) also prohibit full waist expansion of conventionally adjustable garments.
Conventional waist adjustment methods typically favor function over form, i.e., ease of adjustment over garment appearance. However, an important source of garment utility is also derived from appearance of the garment when worn. Conventional garment adjustment means are typically located for ease of operation of the adjustment means, making the adjustment features visible to others, either directly or because the adjustment creates unsightly bunches of excess garment material in the reduced-size configuration.
In view of the above, there is a need for a garment having a continuously adjustable waist, capable of expansion and contraction to accommodate the varying needs of the wearer. There is a further need for a garment that provides an elegantly simple design incorporating ease of adjustment with economy of construction, versatile adjustment range and a less noticeable adjustment means than currently available in conventional adjustable waist garments.